FC Goa defeated Jamshedpur FC in a thriller with Borja Herrera’s 95th minute winners securing three points for Goa at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on Tuesday.
The Gaurs are now placed third in the points table with 42 points from 21 matches. They are level on points (42) with the Mohun Bagan Super Giant.
The game kept tilting both ways until the Gaurs laid the final stamp through Herrera’s winner in added time of the second half. However, it was Jamshedpur FC started the scoring with Rei Tachikawa netting his fifth goal of the season in the 17th minute.
Goa goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem came ahead to claim the corner but was beaten to it by teammate Carl McHugh who flicked it backwards. Tachikawa timed his run to the back post perfectly and slotted the ball into the empty net.
However, that joy didn’t last long for the home team as Noah Sadaoui carried on his incredible run of form from the previous game into this match as well. The Moroccan attacker had notched a hat-trick against Hyderabad FC in the last game and he followed it up by scoring the Gaurs’ first goal of this match.
They broke quickly on a counter, and McHugh laid the ball to Sadaoui on the left flank. From an acute angle, Sadaoui blasted the ball past Jamshedpur goalkeeper Vishal Yadav at the near post.
Goa doubled their lead through Carlos Martinez. Sadaoui found an unmarked Martinez in the box and the Spaniard took a touch before volleying the ball into the Jamshedpur goal.
The home side came close to scoring twice as Javi Siverio and Jeremy Manzorro both hitting the crossbar. FC Goa had the chance to take a 3-1 lead when Yadav messed up playing from the back only for Brandon Fernandes’ shot to kiss the top of the crossbar and go out.
Goa came close to scoring in the span of three second half minutes with McHugh hitting the upright in the 70th minute from a corner. Three minutes later, Martinez rounded Yadav only for Pratik Chaudhari to deny the Spaniard with a superb block.
Jamshedpur finally got the equaliser in the 73rd minute as Seiminlen Doungel held off Goa defenders before chipping the onrushing Moirangthem.
Goa pressed for the winner with McHugh and Herrera both striking the frame of the goal. Goa finally got the winner as Yadav misjudged Herrera’s shot and let the ball in.